Railroad-tie.



R. DUVAL.

RAILROAD TIE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-1. 1916.

Patented May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET l. Fl't l.

R.DuvAL ammo/xn ne.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 1| ISIS- 22,6Q Patented May 8, 1917.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2- W AMI "n Jiu/en 17m/@Z l' warm 7M mjm iha PATENT FFFJE@ RUBEN DUVAL, 0F ARMA, KANSAS.

RAILROAD-TIE.

Application filed November 7, 1916.

i Kansas7 have invented new and useful improvements in Railroad-Ties, of which the tollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to a metallic railroad tie and more particularly to a railroad tie which is so constructed that it is especially serviceable for clamping and supporting the meeting ends of track rails although the construction ofthe tie is such that it may be advantageously used as a support for the rails at any pointalong the track found desirable.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a tie of this character lhaving upon the upper face thereof rail engaging clamps which serve as chairs for the track rails and connect the same with thc'tiesfwithl each clamp comprising a fixed awv and a movable jaw, the movable jaw having a shank pivotally connected with ythe upper face of the tie so that the movable jaw may be swung into or out of engagement with the fixed j aw of the clamp to facilitate the removal or the insertion of a track rail between the jaws ofthe clamp as the occasion may require, thus enabling the tie to be easily and quickly connected with or' disconnected from the track rails at any point along the track which may be found desirable;

Another object of the invention is to provide the movable aw of each clamp with a beveled face having formed thereon a tapered tongue whichwhen the beveled face on the movable jaw is brought into contact with a similar face on the fixed jaw of the clamp is received in agroove in the beveled face of the fixed jaw preventing vertical movement of themovable aw vwith relation to the fixed jaw when the movable aw is in clamping position and also preventing undue strain being imposed vupon the pivotal connection of the movable ljaw when the tie is in use.

A further object of the invention is to provide each movable jaw with a keeper which when the jaws are in clamping position is engaged by a latch on thecxed jaw of the clamp and coacts with the tapered tongues and grooves on the jaws in locking the movable jaws against swinging move- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 8, i917.

serial No. 130,099.

invention resides in the novel combination and arrangement of parts7 which will be hereinafter described and particularly pointed out in the claims.

The preferred embodiment of the invention has been illustrated in the accompanying drawings, although no restriction is necessarily made to the precise details of construction therein shown, as changes, alterations, and modifications, within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawings:

Figure l is a top plan view of a portion of a railroad track, the rails of which are shown supported upon ties constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the preferred form of tie and showing the movable jaw of one of the clamps swung to an inactive position.

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal sectional fiew through the preferred form of tie.

Fig. 4 isahorizontal sectional view on the line 4-4of Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a prospective view showing a slight modification of the invention.

Fig. G is a longitudinal section on the line 6 6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse section on the lline 7-7 of Fig. 3.

Like characters of reference denote corresponding parts throughout the several views in the drawings.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the letter A designates the improved tie as a whole7 the body 7 of which is provided with beveled ends and is channeled upon opposite sides throughout its length to form a web S and flanges 9 and l0 extending laterally from opposite sides of the web 8 which is thickened for a portion of its length intermediate its ends as shown in Fig. 7 in the drawings, said web 8 and flanges 9 serving to securely anchor the tie A in the road bed,.while the flanges l0 which are of greater width than theflanges 9 provide the tie body with a relatively broad top l1 for Contact with the surface of the road bed to prevent the sinking of the tie therein.

Rail engaging clamps l2 which serve as chairs for the track rails 13 and secure the same to the body 7 of the tie A are arranged in pairs upon the top of the body 7 with each rail engaging clamp comprising a fixed jaw ill formed integral with the top ll and a movable jaw having pivotal connection with the top 11 and adapted to engage with the fixed aw 141 when in clamping position.

The fixed jaw l-'L of each rail engaging clamp 12 is provided with a curved shank 16 rigidly connected with the top 11 and spaced from said top for the greater portion of the length of the shank while each movable aw 15 of the rail engaging clamps 12 has formed integral therewith a curved shank 1T also spaced from the top 11 for the greater portion of the length of the shank and having its free end pivotally connected with said top to permit swinging movement of the movable aws 15, said shanks 16 and 17 when in opposed relation serving as trusses to prevent the bending of the tie under the strain of a weight imposed upon the track rails.

The jaws 14 and 15 are recessed to provide the clamps 12 with rail receiving openings 18, said recesses also forming upon the jaws retaining lips 19 adapted to over-lie the base fianges of the rails when the jaws are in clamping position and with one of the lips on one of the jaws in each pair of jaws of greater height than the lip on the jaw adjacent thereto and adapted to contact with the web and the head of the rail engaged by the clamp.

The movable jaw of each rail engaging clamp 12 is provided with a beveled face 2O to engage with a similar face 21 onthe fixed section of the clamp when the jaws are in clamping position, said beveled face 20 having extending laterally therefrom a tapered tongue22 adapted to be received in a tapering groove 23 in the beveled face 21 on the xed jaw of the clamp when the jaws are in clamping position, said groove and tongue coacting to prevent vertical or lateral movement of the movable jaws of the clamp when the rail is in use.

Each fixed jaw of each rail engaging clamp has mounted thereon a resilient latch bar 24 one end of which is extended in the path of movement of the movable vjaw to engage with a keeper 25 on the movable jaw when the aws are in clamping position, said latch bars and keepers coacting with the tongues and grooves on the jaws in holding the movable jaw against swinging movement when engaged with the fixed jaw of the clamp.

In the slightly modified form of the invention shown in Fig. 5 in the drawings, one of the jaws in each rail engaging clamp preferably the fixed aw has the lip thereon enlarged to provide ears 26 extending laterally from opposite sides of the jaw and to engage the base flange, web, and head of the rail upon one side thereof, said ears having openings therein through which may be passed fastening members 27, such as bolts, or the like, to secure a clamping plate 28 to the meeting ends of the rails, said clamping plate being engaged by the movable j aw of the clamp.

l/Vhen it is desired to connect the preferred form of the improved tie to the track rails, the movable jaws of the rail engaging clamps are swung to open position, it, of course, being understood that the latch bars 24 are manually released from the keepers 25.

rThe track rails may now be placed in the recesses in the fixed jaws on the ties and the movable jaws swung to an active position at which time the tongues on the movable jaws will be firmly wedged within the grooves in the fixed jaws and the latch bars engaged with the keepers 25 thus securely locking the jaws in clamping position and preventing lateral movement of the track rails.

It will, of course, be understood that when the preferred form of tie is placed at the meeting ends of the track rails, the lips on the jaws of the rail engaging clamps will be so arranged with relation to the meeting ends of the rails that said ends will be prevented from moving laterally with relation to the clamps although the clamping action of the jaws is such that there may be slight longitudinal movement of the rails within the clamps.

When it is desired to apply the slightly modified form of they invention shown in Figs. 5 and 6 in the drawings which is especially adapted for use 'at the meeting ends of the track rails, the clamping plate 28 is brought into contact with the webs of the rails at the meeting ends thereof after the rails have been arranged in the recesses in the fixed jaws of the clamp after which the movable jaws may be swung to an active position and the fastening members 27 passed through the ears on the jaws and through openings in the plates 28 and secured therein in the usual manner.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is at once apparent that a railroad tie has been provided which though simple in construction and inexpensive of manufacture, is highly efcient for the purpose set forth.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is:

1. A railroad tie having a pair of rail engaging clamps thereon, each of said clamps having a fixed jaw and a movable jaw, said jaws having recesses therein providing rail seats, a beveled face on said fixed jaw having a tapered groove therein, and a beveled face on said movable jaw having a tapered tongue thereon to be received in said groove when said movable jaw is in rail engaging position.

2. A railroad tie having a pair of spaced rail engaging clamps thereon, each of said clamps having a fixed jaw formed integral therewith and a movable jaw, said jaws having rail receiving recesses therein providing the jaws with rail retaining lips to engage with the base flanges on a rail placed therebetween, a latch bar on said fixed jaw, and a keeper on said movable jaw to engage with the latch bar when said movable 10 jaw is in rail engaging Position' 3. A railroad tie having a pair of spaced rail engaging clamps thereon, each of said rail engaging clamps having a pair of inter-engaging jaws recessed to provide a rail seat, one of said jaws being formed integral with the tie and having a shank rigidly connected therewith, the other of said jaws having a shank pivotally connected with the tie, and means for holding said jaws in interengaging position.

In testimony whereof I aiiiX mv signature.

RUBEN DUVAL.

Copies of this patent may be obtainea for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner o Patents, Washington, D. C. 

